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THE DUTY OF 



l7wio« m a Ji/sit War. 



DISCOURSE 



DELIVERED IK 



STOJTEHJJI, (M.1SS.) ATniL 8, 1813, 



BEIRO 



THE DAY OF THE STATE FAST, 



»•>:*« 



BY JOHN H. STEVENS, V. D. M. 

Pastor qf the ChuTch in said Tonn. 



»*f« 



Pl'BLISIISD BT DESIRE OF THS HEAa£MB> 



^tWi^i^i)U^W^e>i)^ 



From the Second Boston Edition. 



NEW-YORK : 

FBIXTED BF E. COMldB^ 

IfO. 4, FRANKFORT-STBKET. 



I 






I 






DISCOURSE. 



JUDGES, V. £3. 

Cunc ye. Mcror, said the angel of the Lord, curse yc 
hittcrly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to 
the help of the Lordy to the help of the Lord against the 
mighty.. 

ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and in 
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for 
instruction in righteousness. 

The passage 1 first read, we find recorded in the song 
composed by Deborah, an inspiied prophetess, and 
judge in Israel. She composed and smig this song in 
consequence of a signal victory gained over the ene- 
mies of Israel, in time of war ; a war which God himself 
had commanded them to engage in, for the defence of 
their rights, liberties and blessings. 

Israel, for whom God had done great tilings, sinned 
with a high hand against him; and to punish them for 
their idolatry and wickedness, the Lord suffered Jabin, 
a powerful king of Canaan, to oppress them, and bring 
them into bondage, and afflict them twenty years. This 
humbled them, and they cried unto the Lord, and he di- 
rected Deborah to call upon Barak to collect an army, 
and march against the army of Jabin, commanded by 
Sisera, and the Lord promised to deliver them into his 
haiitL AVhen the refj^uisition for men was made, ijomt? 



of the governors offered themselves anci the people wil- 
Jini^ly ; others held back and refused their aid: however, 
Deborah the prophetess, and Barak, the general, with his 
little army, marched and attacked the miglity host of 
tlieir enemies, and overthrew them, and so delivered 
their nation from oppression ; for the Lord was with 
them, and fought for Israel against tlieir enemies. This 
one battle was so decisive, that it put an end to the war, 
and the land' had rest foily years. Deborah and Barak 
celebrated this victory in a divine song, in which they 
call upon kings and all people to consider what won- 
<lerful things God had done for Israel ; they descril>e 
the sin and misery of the nation ; they render praise to 
God ; they give commendation to some of the Israelites, 
and pass censures on others, especially the inhabitants 
of Meroz, mentioned in the text. Curse yc JJero^, aaid 
Ihc ans;el of the Lordy curse ye bitterly the inhabitants 
ihcreofj because thty came not to the help of the Lordy to the 
help of the Lord au^eiinst the mif^hty. 

This passage of scripture contains the following gen- 
eral truths: 

1. One nation may be so oppressed by another, that 
't may be the will of the Lord f<»r them to take up arms, 
:tnd go to war with their oppressors. 

2. In such a case, it is the duty of the whole nation to 
unite against the common enemv. 

3. If any part of the nation, in these circmnstances, 
"vithhold their aid and help from their own nation, and 
side with the enemy, it is highly displeasing to God. 
'I'his was the conduct of the inhabitants of iMeroz, and 
Ihe angel of the Lord ordered them to be cui-sed, with a 
bitter cursse. 

4. A nation engaged in a just war, a war for the de- 
fence of their just rights; a war, that God approves — 
such a war God considers as his own cause, and to help 
in such a cause, is to come to the help of the Lord; and 
if th«' nation in these circumstances humble themselves 
i\)Y their sin-, and cry unto the Lord, lie will be w ith 
them, and whatever dillicullies may bo in the way, how- 
ever powerful the enemy ma^ be, if they have uiiie 



hiinilred chariots of war, or a thousand ships of war, yet 
tlic Lord will sjive victory to the oppressed, who lium- 
bly trust in him. 

In order to illustrate and nialvc application of this 
subject, for our benefit on this occasion, I shall consi- 
der the similarity between the character and conduct of 
Israel and that of our nation, and the shnilarity Ixitweeu 
God's dealings towards Israel and that of our nation. 

I. What great things the Lord did for Israel in bring- 
ing them out of bondage in Egypt, conducting them to 
Canaan, casting out the heathen, and planting them in 
the good land. Israel, the seed of Abraham, God's 
friend, Avere enslaved in Egypt; Pharoah, a cruel tyrant, 
oppressed them, and set taskmasters over them, and 
made them serve with rigor, and prevented their Avor-. 
shipping God agreeably to the dictates of their own 
consciences. They cried unto the Lord in their distress, 
and he heard them, and sent Moses to deliver them. 
God wTought wonders in Egypt by the hand of Moses; 
and at length he brought his people out, and led them 
on to the Wed Sea, which the Lord divided, and led 
them through on dry ground; their enemies attempting 
to follow, were swept away by the returning billows. 
He led them in the wilderness foiiy years, with a pillar 
of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night ; he wrought 
many wonderful miracles on their behalf, and at la<t di- 
vided Jordan, and led them over into Canaan. And 
when the heathen combined against them, the Lord 
fought for them, and gave them the victory, and settled 
them quietly in tlmtgood land, flow ing as with milk and 
honey, and they spread abroad, and became a great na- 
tion. 

What a picture this exhibits of the great and marvel- 
lous things God has done for our nation. Oui- I'atliei^ 
were in bondage in England, afflicted witli the hard 
hand of tyranny ajid oppression; they were persecuted, 
oppressed and proscribed ; and not suffered the free 
enjoyment of their holy religion. They were oppressed 
with enormous taxes, were prosecuted, imprisoned, and 
lined, for worshipping God agreeably to the dictates of 



tilt'ir own conscience. They ciied unto the Loixl in 
their distress, and he iieard them, and put it into tlieir 
hearts to emigrate from their native country, to this the» 
houiinii; wilderness. The Lord took our fathers under 
hii; protection, and bronii;littheni acro.sstlie wide ocean, 
and planted them in tliis American huid ; and when the 
heathen, who were numerous, combined asjainst them, 
the Lord w as on their <ide ; lie weakened and destroyed 
the enemy by pestilence, and in various ways, and gave 
our fathers victory ; he caused them to take root, in- 
crease, and si)read abroad in this land; he blessed them 
in their basket and store, and raised them up to a great 
people. And when the mother country saw their pros- 
perity, she envied them, and sought to oppress them 
riere as she had done at home ; she sent over her fleets 
and armies to enforce her unjust mandates. Our fathers, 
trusting in the Lord, took up arms, detc^rmined to de^ 
fend their rights ; and the (lod of armies was Avith them, 
and defeated the enemy, and led them on to victory, in- 
dependence, and a rank among the nations of the earth- 
The Lord has, since that peric^d, greatly blessed and 
prospered this nation, and favored us with every tempo- 
ral and spirituid, civil and religious privilege; he has 
caused us to become a great, rich, and powerful nation. 
God has done great and nrarvellous tilings for us as a 
pe(»[;Ie. 

'2. After (iod had done sueh great things for Israel, 
and had sett hid them in the good land of Canaan hi 
peaee, where they enjoyed his word and ordinances, and 
every blessing, we should'have supposed they would 
have for.-akeii all other gods, and feared, worshipped, 
and served the Lord Jehovah with all the heart. But 
in.-tead of this thev sinned against him, thev forsook the 
rock of Iheir salvation, and went after strange gods, and 
vvoi; hipped tht'Di, a< it is said in -our context, Thcji 
chose till in nciv i^oih, and did nil in the sii^ht of the Lord, 

A\\n\ \n\< luil our nation in this particular, done as 
Israrl did, forsaken (iod, and done great evil in his 
sight.' When we consider what great things God has 
done for our nation, in plantini^ it in this good liuid, in- 



croasinw; ami pro«:perin2; it; and wlion itr> enemies ro?^ 
up, and came in likc^ a flood, the Lord lifted up a stand-< 
aid, and arrested their proi^ress, and jrave us victory, 
gave us peace, andestablisiied us as a nation; and bless- 
ed us on every hand, and gave us his word, iiis sabbath, 
liis gospel, and ordinances. When >ve consider how 
inucii God has done for us, might it not have lx3en ex- 
pected that we should have been an obedient people, 
that we should have chosen God for our portion, and 
feared, loved and served him, with all tlic heail; that oup 
inquiry would have been, JJliat shall we render unto the 
Lord, for all his benefits vnto us, as a people ? But in- 
stead of this humble, pious, ol)edient, lioly conduct, we 
liave, Jeshurun like, waxed fat, and kicked against the. 
Lord ; we have as a people, forsaken the Lord God of 
our forefiithers, and lightly esteemed the rock of ouc 
j^alvation. Like Israel, we have done great evil in the 
sight of the Lord, and provoked the Holy One to anger. 
All kinds of iniquity have abounded in'this nation, and 
been crying to heaven for vengeance. We have been 
imgratcful to God, the giver of all our mercies; we 
liave been ungrateful for our health and strength; un- 
grateful for our food and raiment; ungrateful for our 
civil and religious liberty; ungrateful for peace, that 
we have enjoyed so long"; ungrateful for the sabbath, 
the gospel, and its ordinances; ungrateful for Jesu*^ 
Christ, and his great salvation; ungrateful for the Holy 
Spirit, and his gracious influences in the conversion of 
sinners. 

Pride is a sin which has greatly prevailed in this na- 
tion. We have been lifted up with pride ; we have been 
proud of our independence ; proud of our lilx^rty ; 
proud of our constitutions of government ; proud of our 
rulers, our numbers, and wealth. Som<' have been 
proud of their religion; and others of tlieir wickedness, 
glorying in their shame. Pride is a hateful, dangerous 
sin. Pride goes before destruction, and a havrrhty spirit 
before a fall. God is said to know the proud afar off, to 
hate pride ; and he has said he will stain the pride of all 
flesh. ^ ^ 



Profaneness is another awful «in in our land. We 
have become a profane nation; thousands and thou- 
sands, every day, blaspheniin«i; the holy name of God, 
utterino; horrid oaths and imprecations upon themselves 
and others. All asjes and sexes are uttering this pro- 
i\ine languafije; even little children, cursing and swear- 
ing, and taking the holy and reverend names of God 
and Christ in vain. Thou shall not take the name of the 
Lord thy God in vain, is the divine command ; by reason 
of snearing the land moiirneth, and the pleasant places of 
the nilderness are dried up. 

Intemperance is another prevalent sin in this nation; 
the intemperate use of spirituous liquors has become 
awfully alarming. It is thought by some, that ardent 
spirits,' consumed in this nation, cost more than to main- 
tain government. Many are given up to intoxication, 
spending their property, destroying their health, bring- 
ing shame and poveily upon their families, and fitting 
*hcir souls for perdition. This vice leads on to many 
others, such as idleness, gaming, lewdness, and the like* 
This sin has become so prevalent and alarnung, that 
t^erious people through the state and nation, are unhing 
together, and forming societies for the express purpose 
of suppressing it. 

Falsehood is another great sin, wliich increases the 
guilt of this nation. A lying spirh has iiiVen jw-ses- 
sion of the hearts of many. What falsehoods are utter- 
ed by many to cover their own wickedness; to deceive 
and cheat their fellow-men in theii- dealings, and to in- 
jure the characters of men, both in and out of oHicef. 
How are our public prints, which ought to be vehicles 
of truth, turned into channels of falsehood and misre- 
presentation? 

Gaming and vain amusements are prevailing sins 
wliich mnny live in, and many professed Christians too, 
U) the dishonor of God and disgrace of religion. Sab- 
bath breaking is another great sin in our land: how is 
tlie Lord's day violated, and turned by many into a ho- 
liday for feasting, and drinking, and visiting, and riding 
abroad, and doijig worldly buoinc^s? God said to Israel, 



If i/c nil! not hearken unto me to hallow the Seihbath dag, 
om! not to bear a hiinien, neu entirin^ in at the i^ates of 
JerusaJew, on the Sabbath <iai/ ; then nill I kindle a fire 
in the spates thereof y and it shall devour the palaces of Je- 
rusalem , and it shall not be quenehed. 

Lewdness, perjury, and oppression, are great sins in 
this land. Division, strife, and contention, are abound- 
irjc; sin«:, which threaten the ruin of our nation; for the 
I^ord has said, a kingdom divided against itself cannot 
stand. An inordinate thirt^t for property and love ot 
money, is to be found among the prevailing sins in this 
nation. We are told in the word of God, The love of 
money is the root of all evil. Perhaps there never was n. 
nation that manifested greater love for money, and zeal 
to acquire wealth, than this nation has for many years. 
It has heen spoken of by other nations what lovers of 
money Americans were ! many have made a god of 
wealth, and worshipped mammon. It is owing to this 
cupidity in many, that the noble flame of patriotism, 
tliat burnt in the hearts of their fathers, is quenched in 
them, and they aie disposed to supply the enemy, for 
the sake of gain. Idolatry has been no small sin in this 
land: we have set up idols in our heart, and worshipped 
them. Theft, and robbery, and murder, are great sin-, 
which not a few in this nation have been concerned iu 
perpetrating. The Lord said to Israel, Will a man rob 
GoeU Yet ye have robbed jnc, even this ivholc nalioi:. 
This has been our criminal conduct ; we have robbed 
God of that love, homage, praise and adoration, which 
was his due, and our duty to render. Many great and 
awful errors have been embraced bv manv in this na- 
tion, such as Arminianism, Antinomianism, Socinian • 
ism, Universalism, Deism, and Atheism. Jesus Christ, 
the eternal Son of God, has been called an impostor ; 
the bible has been ridiculed as priestcraft, and delu- 
sion ; experimental religion has been denounced as 
enthusiasm, and the work of the spirit of God ascribed 
to Satan by many. A preached gosi)el and holy ordi- 
nances have been despised and neglected, and opposi- 
tion to God, to Christ and his holy kingdom, ha« greatly 



lb 

^bounded In Ihis nafion. O ! nhat a ^ln^ul jH'ojde wr 
have been; what, evil we have done in the siiiht of the 
i.ord, to provoke him to anger, and pull down judg- 
ments upon us, as it is at tliis time ! Our sins have been 
the primary eau<^e of all our s>iiirerin2;s, and our ealami- 
ty at the present day ; I fear and deprecate them more 
than all the enemies tliat have, or can come against us, 
.*}. God was angry with Israel for their idf)latry, in- 
<5;ratitude, profaneness, and wickedness, and to punish 
them, he sold them into the hand of Jabin, a powerful 
king of Canaan, as appears from our context. .Tabhi 
was a gi'eat king in those days; he had nine hundred 
chariots of iron for war, and his army was equal. It is 
written, tAventy years lie mightily oppressed the chil- 
dren of Israel ; he disarmed tlieni, and made them tri- 
Tiutary ; he had his soldiers stationed through the land, 
and by the hiirhways : and their oppressions were such, 
tliat it is said by Deborah in her song, That the villas^es 
jvere deserted by the inhabiictnts ; the highnays ivcre unoc- 
aipicd, and the travdlers nailed through hy-nays, to 
avoid the enemy. When even the women went out to 
draw Avater, the arcliers would wantonlv shoot their ar- 
rows at them. Thus the Lord for twentv vears sutler- 
ed this tyrant Jabin to oppress Israel, to punish them 
for their wickedness, to humble them, and cause them 
to feel their dependence upon him. Psow the Lord 
lias been treating our nation in the same way, and for 
the same reasons. To punish us for our many and 
great sins against the Lord, he has suffered the king of 
England, for about twenty years, mightily to oppresf^ 
lis. It is about twenty years since England began to 
impress our seamen and take our vessels, under one 
pretext or another, and insult us, and make depreda- 
tions upon us ; and there is no doubt we have been 
plundered of vastly more property, and have suffered 
more personal injnry, in tlie course of twenty years, 
from the king of England and his nation, than Israel did 
in the same time from .labin and his nation, .labin was 
a powerful king ; he hnd nine hundred chariots of iron. 
Cieorge the 3d has l>een a powerful king ; he has had a 



11 

(Jiou^-aiul ships of >yar, and by them lie has conimaiideJ 
(he ocean, and claimed it as liis property ; by them lie 
lias plundered the nations, slauij;htered thousands, and 
tens of thousands, reduced cities to ashes, and spread 
death and desolation far and >vide. With his thousand 
bhips he has committed every outraoc; and cruelty, and 
robbery, and murder» manstealing and depredation, 
that the most barbarous nations have lieen sjuilty of. 
England has taken from us, in time of peace, without 
any just provocation, about a thousand vessels, with 
their rich cargoes, carried them into her own ports, 
condemned and sold tliem, and put the money into her 
own coifers, to the amount of many millions of dollars. 
All this we have borne without resistance, for many 
years. We have complained and remonstrated, and 
plead with them by negociation, to cease their plunder- 
ing, and taking our vessels, and do us justice. They 
have amused us with fair words, but continued the prao- 
tice. Can the annals of history furnish an instance, 
where a nation at peace with another nation, and with- 
out giving any just cause of ofience, has been plunder- 
ed to the amount our nation has ? Not one, I presume. 
There never was, and I trust there never will be, such 
a case wliile man inliabits the earth. 

But this oppression, great and long as it has been, k 
not to be compared to another we have endured ; that 
is, impressing, holding in cruel bondage, starving^ 
whipping, and sometimes putting to death our native 
citizens, who are seamen. For twenty years they have 
continued the practice of impressing our seamen out 
of our merchant vessels, aboard their ships of war ; this 
I consider to be manstealing, which the word of God 
ranks among the greatest crimes. It is impossible to 
ascertain the exact number they have impressed ; but 
fi-om the public documents I have seen, from the num- 
bers found aboard their ships we have taken, and the 
statement of their own muster books, which have fallen- 
into our handt?, from the best information I have been 
able to obtain on this subject, it is my opinion, tliat in 
the course of twenty yeai-s, Great Britain has iinprc««=* 



td more than tivcnty thousand of our 6f amen, multi- 
ludes of whom were native born Americans. Thus the 
husband has been torn from iiis beh)ved wife and chil- 
dren ; the son from his parents, his brothers and sisters; 
the citizen from his home, and native land, and been 
wafted to distant climes, and held in cruel bondage, 
one, five, ten, and eighteen years. To hear the state- 
ment of some, under oath, who have lived to return, 
describing their sufferings, is enough to fill the soul wiUi 
liorror. Home depose and say, when they were im- 
pressed, because they would not enter, they have been 
put in irons, kept on bread and water, and whipped a 
dozen lashes every week, until, worn down by hunger 
and scouiging, they were forced to enter. One depos- 
ed, that after he was impressed, he attempted to escape ; 
was taken, carried back, and whipped tjixty laslje^-, and 
then immersed in cold water one liour. This istlic way 
our native citizens have been tortured aboard their float- 
ing Bastiks. Who that has American blood running irt 
bis veins, can hear of these cruelties inliicted upon our 
own citizens, without indignation ? Yet we are told by 
r;ome, that this is a small afl'air, not worth contending 
for a moment; but let such unfeeling souls be placed 
liueler the di:-cipline of a British man-of-war, for one 
year, and they would no longer speak with so much apa- 
thy about the suflerijigs of oui- seafarinij brethren. 

England has come into our waters with her ships, 
fired upon our citizens, and killed them. {?he has sent 
^pies among ua, to sth- up divi>-ion, whhdraw the peo- 
ple from their government, and dismember the union; 
t^hc has armed and excited the barbarians of the Avilder- 
nch-s to make war upon us, lay wasli^ our frontiers, to 
l.'uteher and scalp men, women, and children ; and the 
; Culj! reeking in h'ood, I have understood they have 
been in theiiabltof pureha?ii!?g at six dollars a piece — 
but am I stating the honld conduct of a Christian na- 
tion, or tliat of Turks and ArabsT Yes, that of a Chris- 
lian iralion towards a Christian nation. 1 have })ecn no- 
licing some of those evils and oi)presrions we have been 
viflering from tliat government, wliichharb' been fctyled 



13 

*' The hnlivark of our rdis^ion, and the norl(rs last hupe.^* 
But fioin such a bulwark, niav the Lord in niercv save 
lis and our jmstcrily. llowi'vcr pious and i^odly many 
of tiie people in En<;lan(l may he, and I believe God 
has many dear children there, who are irroaninji under 
the oppression of their rulers ; yet I do believe in my 
heart, that there is not a more corrupt and wicked gov* 
t'rnment on earth than the British government ; tney 
have, in my oj)inion, caused more wars, bloodshed, mi- 
sery, and desolation in the earth, than any other gov- 
ernment : I Ix'lieve they have been the cause of most 
of the wars Napoleon has been engaged in, which have 
caused rivers of blood to How. iNo doubt they were 
the cause of the late war between France and Jiussia, 
which the last year swept (probably) three hundred 
thousand souls into eternity. I believe the blood of 
millions is crying to heaven for vengeance upon this 
corrupt government ; and undoul)tedly the time is not 
far distant, when the Lord in his anger will overturn it; 
and in answer to the prayers of tlie good peo})le of Fami- 
land, bless them with a better government. The cruel- 
ties which have been perpetrated by this government; 
on her own subjects in England and Ireland, on the 
Hanes, and in many parts of Europe, in the East and 
West Indies, in Africa, antl America, are enough to atr- 
tonish heaven and earth, were they fully known ; but 
enough is known to iill the soul with horror ? 

^^'hat wanton waste of property did they cause in 
this land, in the former war.' Falmouth, C'haileston, 
.Danbury, and many other line towns, were wantonly 
burnt to ashes. But this was nothing comyiared to the 
tavai^e cruelties committed on our poor prisoners, that 
the fortune of war had i)ut in their i)ower. IMore than 
eleven thousand, it has been said, were poisoned, stan- 
ed, and by other cruel treatment, de.-.troved aboard 
their prison ship, at New-York. And A\'*illiam Cun- 
ningham, who was j)rovost marshal to the royal anny 
at New York, (afterwards executed for forgery) con- 
fessed before his execution, that nil/i, and without the 
ordti-nofh.bgciinimcrcf, more than two thousand An:c- 



rican prisoners lie bad starved to death in the different 
chureiies of ISew-York, where they were confined; and 
that he had caused two hundred and seventy-five to bt^ 
hung in the dead of tiie night, and buried ! Give ear, O 
heavens ? and 1)e astonished, O earth ! ! Tiiis w a^i the 
way our poor fathers and brethren were sacrificed by 
this government and its agents, in the last war; and 
they have begun the same liorrid practice again in the 
present war. They allow their savage allies to nnirder, 
and scalp our poor wounded prisoners, and then leave 
them unburied for the swine to feed upon, as was tlie 
case at the river Raisin ; and all this too in violation of 
solemn articles of capitulation. Other prisoners they 
have shut up in infected jails and prison ships, and kept 
them on rotten, damaged provisions, until disease liae 
ended their davs. But mv heart sickens, and mv nerves 
tremble, in the recital of these barbarities and cruel- 
ties,, which we ha^e sufit^red from this nation. IV ow 
say, my hearers — say an impartial world — have we not 
cause of war with this nation? Is not the war, in which 
we are engaged, just I and may we not believe a God 
of justice approves of it ? 

. 4. Israel was so oppressed by Jabin, and had l)orn(; 
his tyranny so long, even tw enty years, that it was tlie 
will of the Lord, that they siiould take up arms, and go 
to war, and fight their oppressors. And the Lord re- 
vealed his mind and will to Del)orah, a prophetess. The 
people cried unto the Lord in their distress, and he 
heard them ; he saw that they had borne the oppression 
of this haui>hlv tvrant lona enouiih without resistance : 
hence he dii ected Deborali to call for Barak, and order 
lihn to collect an aniiy and fight their oppressors. Here 
is one instance among many others, recorded in the Bi- 
ble, where it was the will of God for a nation to go to 
war with their oppressors, for the defence of their just 
rights; and I as fully believe, that it is the will of the 
Lord God of our forefathers, that our nation should take 
up armsi and go to war with Great Britani, our oj)pres- 
sor. For auglit I can see, as great causes existed for 
war in our cak', as did in L^rael's. They had been op 



±9 



prc^cf^d for a lonc; time, even twonly years; so have 
\\(\ Their ojipro^jvois were powerful, they had nine 
hundred chariots of war ; our o])j)ressors are powerful, 
;hev have a thousand ships of war. Israel had been 
rol)hed, and {)lun(hre(!, and their persons enslaved. We 
have h(;en plundered of mil/ions, and many of our citi- 
zens enslaved. 'I'lieir essential rights were assailed; 
?o are oui*s. They undoubtedly remonstrated asjainst 
the conduct of their oppressors ; we have done the 
same. We have remonstrated, negociated, implor- 
ed, and entreated our opj>ressors to cease their depre- 
dations, leave otl' impressing, abusing and enslaving our 
citizen seamen; but all to no purpose. Now if we 
have been oppressed as long as Israel was — if we have 
been ]>lundered as much as they were — if we have 
bwn enslaved, and the persons of our citizens injured 
as much as tliey were — if we have given the enemy no 
just cause to oppress and injure us — if we have sought 
for years in the most fair and honest way to obtain re- 
dress of our grievances in a peaceable way — why is it 
not just and right for us now to draw the sword, and 
defend our rights ? And have we not evidence that it 
is the will of God ? and that he approves of the war in 
"which we are now engaged against Great Britain? I 
believe we have. 

In this age of the church and the world, we are not to 
expect the Lord to make known his mind and will by 
special revelation, as he did to Israel; neither are we 
to look for his miraculous interposition in our favor, 
and the destruction of our enemies, as he granted to 
Israel. But we are to judge of God's mind and 
will, from a view of his moral character, wliich is eter- 
nally the same, and from parallel cases, where God has 
declared expressly or implicitly his approbation of & 
nation's going to war, for the defence of the rights and 
blessings he has bestowed upon them. Now, judging 
by this rule, I think it is a clear case, that God approves 
of the war in which we are now engaged for the defencfc- 
of our just rights. I am far from supposing it would 
+>c4ust and ri^rhtfor a nation to go to war, for e.very 



in.-iwll and injury i'lvdi they might receive froiu another 
nation. No, to make. ;i war ju^t and riirhteous, and 
liuve it approved by heaven, tlie injuria':-; must hf many 
and ^n^at, and lon<x pfrsisled in ; they must be without 
any just pix)vocation, and the injured nation mu<t make 
all suitable exertions, amicably and peaceably, to ol>- 
tain redress of their <j;rievances. Now I believe in my 
heart, all this is true of our nation; J have in my \}o.'- 
se-ision all the printed documents laid before Conjures*', 
of all the neo;oeiation for years between our jjovern- 
ment and Great Britain, and I cannot sec what could 
have Ix'cn said or done more by negociation, to con- 
vince the enemy of their wrong, and prevail witli them 
to cease their deprcdiitions and oppressions, and do us 
justice. For years, diplomatic language has been ex- 
hau-ted but in vain; hence the inference is clear as the 
sun in the firmament of heaven, that the war, in which 
our nation is engaged, is a just and a righteous war, 
and that God approves of it. 

5. As we h.ave evidence the war in which we are now 
engaged, is a just and righteous war, a war which God 
a]>provor, it is the duty of the whole nation to unite in 
it. It was the duty of all Israel to vmite and grant all 
tlieir aid and help in the war against .labin tijeir oppres- 
sor; every tiibe, city, town and family, belonging to 
ihe, fia;no iinlion, were all bound togetlier by the same 
national compact, were liable to the same op])res.>5ioa 
iVom the enemy, and would reap mutual bcncllt incase 
of victorv ; hence it Avas the duty of ail to come np to 
the help of the Lord, tlie help of the Lord against tlu 
.Tiiglit} . A nd, m} hearers, it is equally the duly of our 
nlifde' nation, to unite and help in the war w(; are for- 
. c.edinto, for the defence- of our just and violated rights. 
It i". the duty of c^ery state, every city, every town, 
oyery lamily'and person inthi; nation, to unite all their 
\Yisdom, all'thoir wealtli, all their power, and all their 
<^neigie9, against the conuTion foe, who has so long and 
so wantonly oi)pres?;ed us. We all belong to the same 
jmlion : the stales aieall confederated and ])0un4 toge- 
tlier in the i/iost -^olejim iinmner, r.ndcr one and the .sauic 



17 

cnn-titution ; wo afo a crvcni body polilir, and, as in the 
iiatural, fo in the political bodVy if one mfinbcr suffer, 
all the mcinhers sufftr nith it ; or am member be honored^ 
ail (he members rijoiee nith it. 

^Ve have all Inn'n insulted, we have all l>een oppress- 
ed, we have all been injured, we have all felt the ellLcts 
of the plunder and robbery of the enemy ; it has in- 
creased i\w price of most foreign articles one third, 
which we all help consume ; we are all hurt by the im- 
pn\ssment of our poor seamen ; we are all concerned 
in the injuries heaped upon our nation, and we shall all 
be benetitted by compelling the eneniy to cease her 
depredations, and jnake a just and honorable peace with 
us. Hence it is the imperious duty of every section 
of the country, of every part of the nation, to unite 
against our great and common enemy. 

t). I am led to observe, that some part of Israel re- 
fused their aid and help in the war against Jabin, their 
cruel oppressor, and the Lord was exceedingly dis- 
pleased with them, and the' angel of the Lord ordered 
them to be cursed with a bitter curse. When it was 
determined to take up arms against Jabin, there was 
undoubtedly an express sent to all the tribes, to every 
town and city, to come up to the help of the Lord, and 
atford their aid in some way against the enemy ; and 
we should have supposed they would all have united as 
one man, to defend their violated rights, and obtain sa- 
tisfaction for twenty years oppression. But this was 
not the case ; some, it seems by the sacred account, 
turned out and offered their services willingly : they 
were true patriots. This was the case with the tribe of 
Zebulon and Napthali, and some others ; Israel was di- 
vided into tribes, much as our nation is into states, and 
each tribe had a head or chief, called a governor, as our 
slates have. Some of these governors otiered theni- 
I selves and their people willingly, to help in the war : 
[see the 'Mix and 18th verse of the context — Mi/ heart. 
Said Deborah, is tonards the governors of Israel, nho of- 
\fered themselves nillingli/ amons; the people ; bless yc flic 
Mord. Zehalon and Napthali tvere a people that jrf^- 



pardtd ihiir lias unto the death, in Ihc !iii:h places xyf thf^ 
field. Issacliar and Benjamin are ceUhialLcI as tuniin<^ 
out, and helping in \\m content, and some from other 
tribes ; but some of the triljes and people would not 
help their brethren iii this Avar; they s-taid at home, and 
would not go ; some of the governors would not let the 
people go ;^ some thought they had better tamely bear 
their bullerint^s, than'to waore war wiih sueh a pimerful 
enemy, they leared the nine hundred chariots of iron ; 
others thought the war would cost so much, that they 
liad better be slaves than engage in it ; that probably 
they should lose their lives, or some of their friends. 
'I'hey had lost their spirit and former patriotism, and 
were prepared to bear the yoke of tyranny ; others, 
(undoubtedly) had been favored }>y the enemy, and 
perhaps had grown rich by trafficing with them, and 
.supplying their armies with provision. Th(3se of this 
class were, from th''-;f or some other sordid niotives, in 
/iivor of the enemy, and probably justified their horrid 
oppression and cruelty in the' land: some of them 
might have intermarried with the enemy, and formed 
special connexions, and were on terms of intimacv, and 
probably became worshippers of their heathen' gods. 
Hence they were utterly opposed to the war ; they had 
rather their nation should be oj)pressed twenty yeai-s 
longer than go to war ; such characters as these, were 
then, what in modern times are called iorits, enemies to 
their own country, and friends to the enemy ; such, un- 
doubtedly, were the inhabitants of IMeroz, mentioned 
in om- text. Now the conduct of all in Ismel who 
withheld their aid, was displeasing to God, but especi- 
ally the conduct of Meroz ; all who refused their help 
were rebuked, but Meroz was cursed— see the context: 
For the divisions of R(uhcn, there were f^rcat thouirhts of 
heart, ^fhi/ ahodest thou nmons; the sheep folds, to hear 
the bleat inirs of the flock / For the divisions of Jieitben 
there nets ^reat scarehin:jr of heart. (Ulead abode be- 
yond Jordan ; and ivhy did Dan remain in ships / Asb- 
cr continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 
All Uiese were censured for not joining in tlie wax; 



Id 

but it seems Iheir motivce were not so had, and they 
were not ho criminal, as the iriliabitants of Meroz — see 
the text: Oirs( yi Miro.7, saUf the armel of the Lord ; 
ritrsc ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, heeausc they came- 
not to the help of the Lord, the help of the Lord a<^ainsf 
the miirhty. I^v. Scott, in his note upon this passage, 
observes, " I'hat Meroz had been a flourishing; city, 
but in consequence of tliis curse, it became so obscure 
that its situation is at present unknown. He observes, 
the inliabitants of Aleroz, tliough Israelites, feared tlie 
power, and valued the friendship of the enemy, more 
than they dreaded tlie power, and desired the favor of 
God, and therefore were joined with tlie accursed Ca- 
naanites." 

Now, my brctliren, this conduct in Israel exhibits a 
picture of the ( onduct of our nation since the declara- 
tion of war. Wjion we take into view, the leni^th and 
magnitude of our suflerings from Great Britain ; when 
we consider our independence, bought with the best 
blood and trea'jure of our fathers, our esnential rights, 
and every thins we hold dear in life, assailed and threat- 
ened to be torn from us ; when all pacific means failed, 
and our government, after seven months cool delil)era- 
tion, resolved, as the last resort of an injured nation, to 
take up arms^ and defend our persons, property, and 
violated rights ; we might have reasonably ex{X}cted to 
have seen the nation rise en masscy and unite, as one 
man, against the common foe ; to see patriotism bum 
in every heart, as it did in '75, and run like lightning 
from Maine to Georgia, from the Atlantic to the west- 
ern boundary of the nation, and to see the states emu* 
lous, Avhich should be the most prompt in furnishing 
their quota, and granting their aid in this most righte- 
ous war. But alas ! we must tell the world we are a 
divided people, for the world knows it ; like Israel of 
old, in like circumstances, many are averse to the war» 
and come not to the help of the Lord against the migh- 
ty. Some of the governors withhold the people, and 
prevent tlieir coming to the help of the Lord, so that 
whole btateghave withheld theii' aid; some, of the pco- 



20 



pic withhold their aid from one motive, end some from 
another. .Some are afiaid of the threat cost the Avar will 
be ; they had rather the nation should continue to hear 
ail the oppressions of the enemy, than to he at tlie co.vt 
of a war ; some are afraid of tlie tliou-rand ships of the 
enemy, and consider it presumption to go to war with 
tiich a gigantic power ; they feel we had better be easy 
and pay tribute, and be plundered, and have a few 
thousand of our seamen ensLived, and son^e of them die 
under Iheir sutlerings, than to encounter the evils of a 
war. 

Others there are who are bosom friends to the ene- 
my, who worsliip the same idol, monarchy, who have 
been di>tinguislied by her favors, and eniiched by her 
commerce, and by supph ing her with jHovisions,* botli 
lawfully and unlawfully. Tiiese men are violent 
against' the war ; they brand it with every ej>ith<.t ; 
they say it is unjujst, impolitic, and wicked. i!?ome of 
them justify all the plunder, and murder, and maiifcteal- 
ing, and oppression of the enemy, and say we ought to 
bear it without a complaint, for England is lighting for 
the liljurties of the world. Men of thi>; descrij)tion 
will give no aid themselves to the war, and do all they 
can to i)rcvent others. They rejoice at the defeats of 
our own arms; and mourn at the defeat of the enemy. 
?Vow 1 believe this conduct is very ollensive to a holy 
('iod. I fully believe the conduct of all who withhold 
tlieir aid and help in this righteous contest, in which 
our oation is engaged, is reprehensible. But those, 
who are taking si<'es with the enemy, palliating and 
justifying all their injuries, heaped and heaped upon us, 
from lo\e of British gold, or love of British monarchy, 
a! d hatred to our own republican forms of government, 
;u.d will not come themselves, and try to prevent others • 
'U)\n coming u]) to the help of the Lord against the 
iuighty — i believe in my heart, such men are tories, 
.'Uid obiK)\ious in tlie siglit of heaven. And was there, 
an inspirt d Ijchorah among m, slie \\ould uiidoubtodly 
pj-onoimce a bitter cur^e upon them, as she did upon 
the inhabitants of 3-Ktoz. A curse will. follow £uch 



21 

'-characters. For look, my hrctliron, to tlie fate of the 
lories of our revolution. Like Cain, \vhoiii (iod had 
cursed, they wandered ;is e\iles, and vai:abonds in the 
earth, t^lnnined and abhorred ])y every one ; a curse 
pursued them to tiie crave, if not furtlier; audit ever 
^viIl traitors and toriis. But as it wa^ in Israel, so it is 
in our nation when called to arms, many of the j^overn- 
ors and ])eople have ollered themselves willingly, yea 
some of th^* states have done nobly, and particularly 
the jK'oi»le of Kentucky and Ohio, like Zebulou and 
IVapthali, have jeoparded tlieir lives unto the death, ia 
the hiii,h places of the field. Notwithstanding the faint 
heartedness of .some, and opposiiion of others:, yet the 
great body of the nation, of its real and physical 
strength, are true patriot^', are hearty in the causc, and 
are determined t4) die free, before thev will live 
slaves ; many of them ofier themselves willingly, and 
are coming up to the help of the nation against the 
mighty. " 

l.li observe once more. A nation that engage? in 
a just war, a war for the defence of their just rights, 
which is a war that God ap[)r()ves, such a war he consi- 
ders as his own cau.se, and to help in such a war is to 
come to the help of the Lord, and if the nation humble 
tiiemselves for tlieir sins, and cry unto the Lord, he will 
be with them, and ijrant them success. He did Lracl i 
and I have no doubt he will our nation. The Lord 
went out before the Httle army of Israel, when th«*y 
marched against the nine hundred chariots of war, and 
discomfited the eneiny. And has not the Lord gone 
out before our little navy when tliey have gone out to 
light the thousand ship^ of the enemy .' And what cx- 
pk)its have they done ? AN'h.at victories have they 
achieved to the lasting honor of the nation, and the 
astonishment of the world / 

It is admirable what our few ships of war have cffecl- 
ed when they have come in contact with the enemy. 
Two of their iarjrest frigates have been sunk, and ano- 
tlier taken, and brought into our ports. One sloop of 
war has been sunk, aud sevcTal taken. In the m%l of 



these cases the enemy were equal, iu some superior, >et 
they were dreadfully cut to pieces; their vessels made 
wrecks, and many of their men killed and wounded^ 
while our vessels have received but little injury, and 
but few men either killed or wounded. This cannot be 
accounted for upon any other principle, than the special 
interposition of Heaven. On the sea the enemy has 
oppressed us, for twenty years : there they have i)lun- 
dered our property ; there they have cn.'^laved our citi- 
zens. From their ships of war the ciy of our poor 
seamen, (covered with blood and wounds,) has gone up 
to Heaven. The Lord has beert witness to their cru- 
elty and oppression, on the ocean ; and there he has 
given us success. Great ]5ritain for twenty years, in 
all her wars, has never met witli so niuch on the sea to 
stain her pride, as she ha>i experienced from our few 
gallant ships. Let the name of the Lord be praised, 
who giveth us the victory. 

And our private armed ships have met with j^rent 
success. Nilea' l{egit:ter states, that we have taken from 
the enemy si'cc the war, 3(i9 vessels, in about nine 
months. Surely many of our valiant seamen have cause- 
to exclaim with Deborah in the context, O nti/ soul, 
thou hast trodili n doivn afrcuiith. 

liut our succetis on the land hitherto ha?> not been 
equal to that on the ocean. The failure of the north- 
western army in the outset deranged the whole cam- 
paign on the frontiers, the last season. By the gover- 
nor's with-holding the men, and many of the militia re- 
fusing to come up to the help of the Lord against the 
mighty, defeat and loss attended our arms in Canada. 
But there, our troops always signalized themselves, 
when led to action. The enemy there have suffered 
about as much as we have. Many of the Indian towns 
have been laid waste, and many of the savage barbari- 
ans have met the just reward of their bloody deeds. It 
is easy to account for tjie want of success on the land. 
There has been want of men, of regular troops, want of 
discipline, and subordination, if not want of system. 
All theb^ I tnist will l>e remedied the coming season, if 



ihc war rontiniiCR, an»l the enemy will not listen to over- 
tures lor peace. And I have no doubt of tlie final 
issue. For I am I'uli y convinecd the war on our part is 
just and rii;li1eous ; that the Lord approves of it ; that 
he will he on our siide, and enable us to bring the enemy 
to just and honorable terms of peaee. 

i^if, my brethren, and fiiends, we as a nation, as a 
gtatc, a>^ a town, as families, and individuals, have a 
i^reat duty to do. And this day calls upon Us to enter 
upon it with all the heart. It is our duty to fast and 
pray, and humble ourselves before the sjreat God. AV'c 
should realik^e (ind's gi-cat goodness to us and our na- 
tion, and be thankful ; we should take into view the 
number, great ne-^s, and aggravations of our sins, and 
be humbled before God, and repent as in dust and 
ashes. Our sins are many, they have gone up over us 
as a thick cloud ; they have readied heaven ; they have 
provoked God to anger, and he has sullered our enemies 
to oppress us, and bring war upon us, to punish us. We 
have cause to adopt the language of Daniel, the pro- 
phet, and say, *'0 Lord, ivc have sinned, and have com- 
muted inifjiiiti/, and have done niekedlij, and have rchcl- 
kd, even hi) dej}arlin<s from thy preeepts, and from thy 
judi^menls. O Lord, rij^hteousness helongcth unto thee ; 
but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day. But to the 
Lord our (rod heloni^ mercies and forgiveness, though ne 
ftave rebelled ai^ainst him. 

y\\i\\ huiuiliation, confession, and repentance of ou? 
hin, we should add fervent prayer. If we arc a pray- 
ing nation and people ; if we pray in faith, and cry to 
tiod, he will hear and answer, and help us, in this timf> 
of war. \Ve should pray God to turn us, as a nation 
lO himself, and bless us. That he would bless the Pre- 
sident and Congress, and give them wisdom, fidelit}\ 
and pntriotism. That he would unite the people, ce- 
ment the confederation, and dispose the rulers and 
people in each state to do their duty, and come up to 
the help of the Lord against the mii^hty. We should 
pray tlie Lord to give wisdom, valor and prudence, to 
«auv commanders, healtli and courage to oux holdiei^ 



ana ir.arir.ors; ?iij<-ld Ihcm in thr- clay of haltle, ni]«l 
CTov.'n our arms by sea and ]rind -vvilh fuccoss, until 
our enemies aro dispcv ed to make a just and honorable 
peace. We sliould pray to God to stay the j)egti- 
ir-nce, and j^ive U9. licallli in all our border, 
should implore him lo bles:^. the labors of ih^ »i....- 
bandmar., make the earth fniiUuj, and favor u ^vith 
a pjonijlliij* harvest. We should })ray the Lord to put 
an end to de.solatint; wai.-, and bless all nations with 
peace and righteouines;;. O ! let U5 pray God to pour 
Ilia spirit upon us, and make us lioly, and prepare us 
for ail .sMflerini^s on earth, and tiio enjoyment of himr- 
self in iieaven. 

O ! may 1hf> Lord he:;r oiiJ- prayers, and save our na- 
tion, and alJ the glory shall be ji,i\ en to the FaUitr, Son^ 
arid Hd^ GhosUy^orhi without end. Amah 






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